05 June, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
05 Jun 1966: 05205786E Flight Sergeant Marthinus Jacobus Matthysen from 5 Squadron, accidentally drowned while fishing in the Hartebeespoort Dam when his boat overturned, trapping him underneath. He was 25.
05 Jun 1978: 74385501BG Corporal Charles Benjamin de Villiers from 1 SAI was killed in a military vehicle accident when his Ratel AFVs was accidentally rear-ended by another Ratel on the Bloemfontein to Bultfontein Road, causing his vehicle to overturn. He was 22.
05 Jun 1984: 82904772SWK Rifleman M. Sipipa from 202 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN Insurgents. He was 22.
05 Jun 1984: 72294887BT Rifleman Andries Christiaan Jacobs from Regiment Port Natal was killed in a military vehicle accident in Durban. He was 27.
05-Jun 1986: Seven members from 250 Air Defence Artillery Group, South African Air Force were killed in a gruesome private motor vehicle accident in the early hours of the morning while traveling between Pretoria and Hammanskraal. They were returning to the Unit from a weekend sports pass. The accident occurred 25 km from Hammanskraal. The casualties were:
82416025BG Corporal Michael Christopher Marx. He was 19.
82426867BG Airman Deon Phillipus Beukes. He was 19.
83511816BG Airman Grant Sinclaire Strange Braithwaite. He was 18.
83243725BG Airman Matthys Gideon Britz. He was 19.
82471970BG Airman Dawid Lindeque. He was 19.
82469602BG Airman Frans Cornelius Moolman. He was 19.
82230244BG Airman Marthinus Louis Nel. He was 19.
05 Jun 1987: Two members from Infantry School were killed in a private motor vehicle accident 8km from Vredefort while on weekend pass. They were:
84534254BG Rifleman Francois Nel. He was 18.
84408020BG Rifleman Pieter van der Linde. He was 18.
05 Jun 1991: 79011565PE Warrant Officer Class II Solomon Stephanus Barnard from the South African Ordnance Corps attached to 61 Base Workshop suffered a fatal heart attack at his home. He was 47.
05 Jun 1991: 90068867CC Rifleman Gerrit Douw from 1 Battalion Cape Corps Training Unit, died in 1 Military Hospital after contracting malaria. He was 20.
05 Jun 1994: 91708065PE Rifleman Malefetsane Daniel Motete from 151 Battalion was killed in a military vehicle accident near Hobhouse. He was 25.
05 Jun 1998: 94837606 Rifleman M Mushiane from 7 SAI died of disease in the Phalaborwa Sickbay. He was 27.
05 Jun 1999: 86724390PE Lance Corporal Thibelo Jan Sekaja from 1 SAI was killed in a military accident at Ficksburg while driving under the influence of alcohol. He was 31.
05 Jun 2001: Two members from Group 9 were Reported Missing during Ops Pother after they were assaulted and abducted at Bhekizulu by persons unknown. Their remains were eventually found and recovered by members of the South African Police Service on 22 August 2001. The casualties were
94801941PE Corporal Magida. He was 33.
95706123PE Corporal Nocanda. He was 32.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.